Search Orleans Parish Criminal Court Records

The Criminal District Court Clerk's Role

The Criminal District Court Clerk supports Criminal District Court for the Parish of Orleans. It is the official keeper of felony criminal case files, the docket master, minute entries, and criminal judgments. This is the correct starting point for criminal court records, as opposed to the jail custody query, which is the sheriff's system. The court and clerk sit at 2700 Tulane Avenue.

The split between this clerk and the civil clerk reflects the scale and specialization of New Orleans criminal justice. Most Louisiana parishes use one clerk for all district-court records. Orleans Parish separates criminal from civil, which means a felony file and a civil lawsuit are never searched in the same office.

Records the Criminal Clerk Holds

The criminal clerk's records track a case from charge to sentence. They are mostly public, though sealed, expunged, and juvenile matters are restricted. The file usually includes the documents that move a felony case through the court.

• Bill of information or indictment - the charging document that opens the case.
• Minute entries - the short official notes of each court session.
• Bond records - bond settings and conditions of release.
• Motions and orders - filings and the judge's rulings.
• Sentencing minutes - the outcome and any probation conditions.

For booking and custody, which are different records, see the Orleans Parish inmate records page.

How to Request a Criminal Record Copy

A certified copy from the criminal clerk is the version courts and agencies accept. To request one, identify the case clearly and state the copy type you need. The clerk processes the request and quotes the fee.

1. Confirm the matter is a Criminal District Court felony case, not a civil, traffic, or juvenile matter.
2. Gather the case or docket number, the defendant's name, and the approximate date.
3. Contact the Criminal District Court Clerk at 2700 Tulane Avenue.
4. Name the document you need and request a certified copy if required.
5. Pay the certification and copy fee the clerk quotes.
6. Keep the certified copy for any legal use.

Criminal Record Request Fields

A criminal record request needs enough detail to find the right case among many similar names. The elements below help the clerk locate the file.

Fees and Access

Inspecting a public criminal record is generally free, while copies and certifications carry fees. Certified copies cost more because certification is a clerk service. Confirm the current amounts with the clerk before paying, since fee schedules change.

Sealed, expunged, and juvenile matters are not part of ordinary public access, regardless of the fee. For older records, archived storage can add time to a request, since the file may need to be retrieved before a copy can be made.

Restricted Criminal Records

Some criminal records are closed by law. Expunged records drop from ordinary public access under the Code of Criminal Procedure. Grand jury material is secret. Juvenile matters are confidential under the Children's Code. Sealed filings and protected victim information are also withheld. A denial in these areas follows the statute, not a clerk's discretion. The court records page covers the sealing and expungement rules in more depth.

Office Location

The criminal clerk is located with Criminal District Court at 2700 Tulane Avenue, away from the civil courthouse. Confirm current hours on the court's official site before a visit, and bring the case details to speed the request.

Comparing the Two Orleans Parish Clerks

The simplest way to picture the split is to set the two clerks side by side. They handle different files, sit in different buildings, and use different fee schedules. Sending a request to the wrong one is the most common reason it stalls.

Both offices serve the same parish, but the records they hold do not cross over. A title attorney searches the civil clerk for a property record, while a defense attorney searches the criminal clerk for a felony file.

Working with the Criminal Court Docket

The criminal docket is the running log of events in a felony case. The clerk records the bill of information or indictment, the arraignment, every motion and order, each hearing, and the sentencing minute. When a public docket interface is offered, expect name or case-number style lookup; when it is not exposed, the clerk handles the search.

Docket entries are dense and use legal shorthand. A capias is an arrest order, often for a missed court date. A continuance is a postponement. A minute entry is the short official note of what happened that day in court. Anyone unsure what a code means can ask the clerk to confirm, since the office maintains the file and knows its terms. The broader docket walkthrough sits on the court dockets page.

Bond Records and Specialty Court Files

Bond settings, conditions of release, and bond forfeitures all live in the criminal case file. The criminal clerk records each step, so a bond record is requested from this office, not from the jail. Specialty criminal court programs, such as drug or behavioral health dockets, also generate filings that flow through the clerk, though sensitive clinical material may stay out of public access.

For the link between custody and case, remember that the sheriff holds the jail record while this clerk holds the court record. A person in custody has both, and they update on different schedules. The inmate records page covers the custody side, while warrant entries from this clerk are summarized on the warrant records page.

Related Orleans Parish Searches

Continue with the Clerk of Civil District Court, Criminal District Court, arrest records, and court records.